University of Virginia Library
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library© 1997 By the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia. All rights reserved.
Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Processed by: Special Collections Department Staff
There are no restrictions on access to the Library's microfilms of the William Faulkner manuscripts in its custody; the microfilm may be consulted by any interested party, and it will be lent through the interlibrary loan system. Materials are constantly added. Long-term loans may be arranged. Use of the microfilm will be restricted to the premises of the borrowing library. No loans will be made to individuals. Researchers should enquire of the Manuscripts Division concerning availability of microfilm of manuscripts that are pertinent to their work. Most of the literary manuscripts in our collections written by Faulkner, both holograph and typescript, have also been published in facsimile in William Faulkner Manuscripts , 25 vols (New York: Garland, 1986-87).
By the terms of the agreement by which the William Faulkner Foundation transferred the original manuscripts to the University, access to the original manuscripts is restricted (to ensure the survival of the physically-delicate originals) to doctoral candidates at the dissertation stage of their programs, and to certain mature scholars and critics. But even these researchers must demonstrate need to see the originals that goes beyond the requirements of most routine research. A doctoral candidate at the dissertation stage, or other qualified researcher who believes that his or her work requires access to the originals must correspond with the Curator of Manuscripts prior to arrival at the Library to obtain permission for access.
No microfilm, electrostatic, or other types of copies may be made of materials written by William Faulkner that are in our William Faulkner Collections. Other materials in the collections may be copied subject to the normal rules of the Library established under the conditions of the Copyright Act. All copying is performed by the Printing Services Department of the University.
See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.
William Faulkner Collection, Accession 10117-h, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library
These items were a gift to the Library by James B. Meriweather of Columbia, South Carolina , on March 28, 1997 .
Funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
There are fourteen items, 1942-1959, chiefly letters from William Faulkner (1897-1962), from the areas of Burbank, California , New York, New York , and Charlottesville, Virginia , to his step-son, Malcolm Argyle Franklin , in Oxford, Mississippi . These letters have been published in BITTERWEEDS Life with William Faulkner at Rowan Oak by Malcolm A. Franklin ( The Society for the Study of Traditional Culture : Irving, Texas , 1977) [Rare Books Faulkner PS 3511.A86Z4.F7B5 1977]
w/env. [reports on effects of the war on daily life --meat and butter shortage, rationing, no lights at night, barrage balloons along the coast, searchlights through the city, and expectations of a bombing; discusses at length peoples' attitudes toward gasoline rationing, expecially those whose work "is not essential to winning a war or anything else"; comments on Hollywood being one of the richest towns in the country; and, supports his step-son's decision to join the service and comments that he has "aptitute for being a regimented soldier" even though he has "no avocation for it"]
w/env. [comments on war: "War is bad, of course, unnecessary among civilised peoples. We are fighting, as always, the long battalioned ghosts of old wrongs and shames that each generation of us both inherits and creates. We will win this one, them we must, we must, clean the world's house so that man can live in peace in it. I believe we will. I envy you being young enough to have a part in it."]
w/env. [writes about Robert Haas , the vice-president of Random House , and the wartime activities of Haas' son as a Navy pilot and daughter in the Women's Ferry Squadron ; discusses the squadron of African-American pilots that "finally got congress to allow them to learn how to risk their lives in the air"; and, comments that "a change will come out of this war"]
w/env. [refers to his sloop [Ring Dove], Hal [Harrison] Smith , a recently purchased Irish pipe (with a drawing), and paying mechanic Wade [Ward] for a gear job]
w/env. [reassures family that William Faulkner is working steadily in his office everday and falling back into his normal stride; feels that he should stay in New York now that he is working in earnest; shares in their concern for Faulkner]
[distressed over having caused his family so much worry because of his "spells of complete forgetting"; mentions an accident the previous March with Tempy and Sunny, the horses; writes that he is getting started on Missy's [ Jill Faulkner ] commencement address [for Pine Manor Junior College in June]; mentions that he is earning money again]
[advises him on the steam-heating system at Rowan Oak and mentions the work suggested by plumber Willie Reynolds ; writes that he is working on his manuscript [ A Fable ] again and that he will talk to [Howard Winchester] Hawks about going to Europe [to work on the script for Land of the Pharaohs ]; mentions work on his manuscript, editing the Book of the Month manuscript, and having the play [of his novel Requiem for a Nun ] go into production in the fall]
[concerns his plans after contacting [Howard Winchester] Hawks in Paris, France , which involves staying in New York until December to finish and edit his book and edit the Book of the Month club volume; requests that a wallet with the name of a Stockholm bank be sent, along with some other items; mentions Bill Harmon , who owns a men's clothing store in Oxford ]
[mentions spending time at [Robert] Linscott 's farm; concerns locating several items in his room at home]
[congratulations on the birth of their son Mark Franklin ; mentions earning money on television writing and a hunting story for the Saturday Evening Post ]
[plans to go to Washington, D. C. for Christmas to see Jill (Faulkner) and Paul Summers ; sends money for the purchase of gifts for their African-American staff and friends; mentions the birth of Saxe Commins ' daughter Fran Bennett 's child]
w/env. [informs that the State Department is sending him to Greece for two weeks on March 15th; mentions little Paul [Summers] and Mark [Franklin] ]
["Happy birthday"]